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debtat2's review
4.0
This book has been translated from Russian to English and whilst it has translated well there are still a lot of Russian things like food and places that i have no idea what it was but other than that, if you like foreign thrillers then this book is defiantly worth a read.
The story is told from several different view points, the main characters Andrey, the detective in charge of the case and Masha a young law student starting her internship. It also switches to Masha's childhood best friend Innokenty a historian.
The characters are really well written, and it is a really good spin on a serial killer novel.
Defiantly an author worth taking note of.
The story is told from several different view points, the main characters Andrey, the detective in charge of the case and Masha a young law student starting her internship. It also switches to Masha's childhood best friend Innokenty a historian.
The characters are really well written, and it is a really good spin on a serial killer novel.
Defiantly an author worth taking note of.
sarahhbeth_reads's review
4.0
I read the Desombre's original Russian Prizrak nebecnogo ierusalima alongside its English translation, The Sin Collector, and here I am just going to comment on the translation.
First of all, Shelley Fairweather-Vega translated this novel excellently.
There are some editorial changes (more sexually-graphic language is edited out) and adaptations to make the novel more accessible to an international audience (for example, the dog named after actress Faina Ranevskaya becomes Marilyn Monroe). As is the case with many Russian-English translations, the names are simplified (fewer diminutives and patronymics) to avoid confusion.
I wish that the book didn't have to be quite so domesticated--I would like to think that the reader can be trusted to understand something unfamiliar--but I think that the choices Fairweather-Vega and the editors made suit this novel perfectly to help Russian pop lit become more widely read. And even domesticized, the story, characters, and crimes remain distinctly Russian.
I hope that Desombre and Fairweather-Vega are collaborating on the sequel, because I would love to see more from them.
First of all, Shelley Fairweather-Vega translated this novel excellently.
There are some editorial changes (more sexually-graphic language is edited out) and adaptations to make the novel more accessible to an international audience (for example, the dog named after actress Faina Ranevskaya becomes Marilyn Monroe). As is the case with many Russian-English translations, the names are simplified (fewer diminutives and patronymics) to avoid confusion.
I wish that the book didn't have to be quite so domesticated--I would like to think that the reader can be trusted to understand something unfamiliar--but I think that the choices Fairweather-Vega and the editors made suit this novel perfectly to help Russian pop lit become more widely read. And even domesticized, the story, characters, and crimes remain distinctly Russian.
I hope that Desombre and Fairweather-Vega are collaborating on the sequel, because I would love to see more from them.
hammychop's review
2.0
Brief detour from Scandinavian reads to Russian. Incredibly let down, story had incredible amounts of potential but fell so flat.
meloches's review
3.0
Forever ago, I read The Sin Collector by Daria Desombre, which is the first in a new detective series starring Masha Karavai. A work of Russian noir, I was curious to see what this genre would bring, especially since this is unchartered territory for me.
The novel opened with the introduction of Masha, a brilliant law student, as she investigates a series of recent killings and navigates her way through law enforcement. I found Masha to be a likeable and relatable lead. I found her narrative to be extremely believable and there were more than a few moments where I found myself chuckling under my breath as she dealt with difficult and seasoned detectives.
The plot itself was pretty stellar. I love when a novel is able to make past and present collide and Desombre does a brilliant job of doing just this. Medieval rituals, modern Moscow and biblical references had me captivated and I loved the premise of the "sins”. I thought this was very different which is always incredibly important to me in a new crime series!
There were a couple of things I found to be slightly problematic, for example, I struggled a little connecting with all the sub characters and their subplots. At some points, there is A LOT going on and I did find myself moving backwards in the chapter to try and figure out where I was going and what I had been reading. I do realize though that this novel was translated from its original language, so, perhaps this is due to the translation.
Regardless of this issue, I felt like this was an enjoyable read that crime fans will enjoy! If you enjoy a police procedural with a Nordic noir vibe, then this novel will be a welcome addition to your TBR pile!
The novel opened with the introduction of Masha, a brilliant law student, as she investigates a series of recent killings and navigates her way through law enforcement. I found Masha to be a likeable and relatable lead. I found her narrative to be extremely believable and there were more than a few moments where I found myself chuckling under my breath as she dealt with difficult and seasoned detectives.
The plot itself was pretty stellar. I love when a novel is able to make past and present collide and Desombre does a brilliant job of doing just this. Medieval rituals, modern Moscow and biblical references had me captivated and I loved the premise of the "sins”. I thought this was very different which is always incredibly important to me in a new crime series!
There were a couple of things I found to be slightly problematic, for example, I struggled a little connecting with all the sub characters and their subplots. At some points, there is A LOT going on and I did find myself moving backwards in the chapter to try and figure out where I was going and what I had been reading. I do realize though that this novel was translated from its original language, so, perhaps this is due to the translation.
Regardless of this issue, I felt like this was an enjoyable read that crime fans will enjoy! If you enjoy a police procedural with a Nordic noir vibe, then this novel will be a welcome addition to your TBR pile!
sarahmonot's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
filaurelio_reads's review
4.0
Im not so much into thriller and suspense, its been awhile i read one ( a James Patterson ) and this is my first Russian book that ive read,thank you for the translation also! I love the story, the writing specially and accompanied by whispersync it makes the reading awesome!! I think i will try to read more kind of this genre..
thewrittenadventure's review
4.0
To be published on: October 24, 2017
Page Count: 331
Recommended to: Crime Mystery fans, fans of fiction.
The Sin Collector is a dark novel that follows the story of a girl, Masha, as she follows in her father's footsteps. She is obsessed with serial killers and has made it her thesis. Due to connections she has with a family friend she begins to work with a detective, Andrey, and stumbles upon the case he is working that seems to fit her own thesis she has been working on. Together, along with some friends, they discover the killer in a turn of events that will leave the reader stunned.
This novel was a thrill to read from beginning to end. I did not put it down and stayed up until 5am to finish it.
When first reading the novel, I did find it confusing that it switched between three different perspectives. First Vera, then Masha, and then Andrey. In the beginning I didn't feel much of a connection between any of them because of how fast they were changing.
That soon changed when I got to the third and fourth chapter. Desombre did eventually add other perspectives later on in the novel, so if you do pick up this book be aware that the perspectives do change a lot.
Page Count: 331
Recommended to: Crime Mystery fans, fans of fiction.
The Sin Collector is a dark novel that follows the story of a girl, Masha, as she follows in her father's footsteps. She is obsessed with serial killers and has made it her thesis. Due to connections she has with a family friend she begins to work with a detective, Andrey, and stumbles upon the case he is working that seems to fit her own thesis she has been working on. Together, along with some friends, they discover the killer in a turn of events that will leave the reader stunned.
This novel was a thrill to read from beginning to end. I did not put it down and stayed up until 5am to finish it.
When first reading the novel, I did find it confusing that it switched between three different perspectives. First Vera, then Masha, and then Andrey. In the beginning I didn't feel much of a connection between any of them because of how fast they were changing.
That soon changed when I got to the third and fourth chapter. Desombre did eventually add other perspectives later on in the novel, so if you do pick up this book be aware that the perspectives do change a lot.
laniesweet's review
4.0
I got a free copy of this book through NetGalley and am leaving an honest and voluntary review.
I found the storyline to be engaging and entertaining but I found myself wanting to like it more than I did. The characters are great and the take on the serial killer is wonderful, but I found myself just a bit lost regarding the setting. A map would have been a nice addition to be able to refer to, but I didn't take any points off for not having one. The story itself has some 'meh' moments for me, but overall, I'd have to say it's one of my favorite books this year.
I found the storyline to be engaging and entertaining but I found myself wanting to like it more than I did. The characters are great and the take on the serial killer is wonderful, but I found myself just a bit lost regarding the setting. A map would have been a nice addition to be able to refer to, but I didn't take any points off for not having one. The story itself has some 'meh' moments for me, but overall, I'd have to say it's one of my favorite books this year.
mandyla's review
Time to be honest: I won't finish this book. I think it might be something to do with the language used in translation, but I found it quite difficult to get into the flow of the story. I got 20% through, and just didn't want to keep going. Perhaps I'll pick it up again when I'm in the mood for a crime novel, but for now - it is a did not finish.
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